


How to Make Friends in a Pandemic

by SportzBall (dontyoucry)



Series: Battle of Ohio Snapshots [1]
Category: American Football RPF, National Football League RPF
Genre: Battle of Ohio, Boys In Love, Falling In Love, M/M, just go with it please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26991244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontyoucry/pseuds/SportzBall
Summary: I had a dream and it turned into this.This is just the first of a series of snapshots I'm working on.
Relationships: Joe Burrow/Baker Mayfield
Series: Battle of Ohio Snapshots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970059
Comments: 6
Kudos: 20





	How to Make Friends in a Pandemic

**Author's Note:**

> Well it's just me here in this ship for now but please come and join me

They never played against each other in college, but they know the same people so Baker has Joe's number in his phone.

He never uses it. Not until the draft.

Baker figures it'll get lost in a sea of congratulation texts so it doesn't really matter what he says.

He goes with: ((Congrats man. Can't wait to rekindle the battle of Ohio together))

He doesn't think much of it and honestly he kind of forgets he sent it a couple hours later when his phone goes off. There's a succession of text notifications all at once and Baker assumes it's something to do with who the Browns are drafting. It's not. It's actually seven texts from Joe Burrow.

The first one is pretty standard.

((Thank you!!!))

Probably something Joe has texted hundreds of people tonight. The second text feels more personal.

((Man I can't believe it's actually happening))

And Baker wonders if Joe meant to send that to him, but the third text makes it clear that Joe knows exactly who he's texting.

((I think this is going to be a lot of fun Baker))

...Baker. It's weird to see his name in a text from Joe Burrow. He didn't really think of them as being on a first name basis, but he doesn't dislike it.

The fourth and fifth texts go together, like Joe accidentally hit send too early.

((Battle of Ohio is))

((Gonna get wild! Lol))

And that makes Baker chuckle. It makes him think of his own draft night and how amazing everything seemed. The whole world was in front of him. Fantasies (as they turned out to be) of bringing the Browns roaring back to the top, of great football and accolades. Not that the reality was so awful. In fact Baker has really enjoyed his time in the NFL, it's tough and brutal at some points, but he's playing professional football so he knows he can't complain. He's living his dream. But draft night? That was a special kind of elation.

Baker breaks out of his reminiscing to read Joe's sixth and seventh texts.

((Thanks again man))

((If you have any advice, I'm all ears haha))

Baker pauses. He kind of thought of Joe as cocky, the image of Burrow smoking a cigar like he owns the world flashes through Baker's mind, the last year of the kid's life has been kind of picture perfect as far as Baker can tell and Joe doesn't seem like the type to doubt his ability to accomplish anything. But a request for advice from Baker, from someone like Joe, is endearing in a way. It makes the year and a half age difference between them more stark, makes Baker feel like a grizzled old vet with only two seasons under his belt. Joe is no longer at the top of his league, he's just a rookie.

Baker fiddles with his phone for a bit deciding how to respond, if he should respond at all. He thinks again to his own draft night. In his shoes, if Jared Goff had texted him and Baker had asked for advice it would have been a serious request, a way to get a step ahead on his career. So he starts to type.

((It's going to be tough. You're going to struggle so have a support system in place. Stay humble but believe in yourself. I don't know what else to say but I think you know what you're doing. Have fun bud, you've earned it.))

He sends it before he can over think it and goes back to idly watching the draft.

There are no more texts that night from Joe Burrow and Baker thinks that's the end of it.

\--

Three days later Baker is driving himself crazy alone in his Cleveland home. He's looking into getting a dog when he gets a text. If it's his mother checking up on him again he's going to throw his phone.

It's not his mother.

It's Joe Burrow.

((Hey Baker sorry I didn't respond the other night. I really appreciated what you said and wanted to say thank you. I'm getting kind of nervous about the season and I'm trying not to be selfish but man I really want to play this year. It was such a high to get drafted and I don't know what to do with myself if we don't play this season. Sorry I'm babbling. But I figured if anyone would understand it would be you. My mom keeps saying to be patient 🙄 Like I know how to do that! Anyway thanks again. And good luck if we do play this season))

He reads it three times. What's going on? Joe is talking to him like they're friends, like it's nothing weird to be talking about how he's feeling with Baker. But it's a weird fucking time in the world. Baker has been tempted to text exes and childhood friends and just about anyone only to have something to do while stuck at home. He assumes Joe's going through a similar situation so he goes with it and texts back.

((No worries man draft night is wild. I don't think I caught up on texts for a month after. I'm hoping to play too. Can't wait to kick your ass lol. Hope you're hanging in there with all the changes going on))

Short and sweet and Baker thinks that'll be the end of their correspondence.

Joe texts back. And all the sudden Baker Mayfield is friends with Joe Burrow.

\--

Their texts to each other are a mix of memes sent back and forth, idle football chat, and to Baker's surprise late night conversations about goals and... feelings. It turns out Joe is soft and funny and thoughtful. He keeps track of the things Baker shares off-handedly and asks about Baker's family. There's a fourth category that Baker hesitantly labels flirting?? in his mind.

It's the middle of June and he's staring at a text from Joe that feels a lot like flirting. It's hard to tell though because they've never spoken in person and maybe Joe is just like this with his friends. Baker isn't though. He doesn't play-flirt with his boys.

He grew up as a football player in the south, has known he was gay since middle school but chose football over being out. He doesn't flirt with men. Ever. Even as a joke.

Joe is easy with his affection though, even over text. He sends goodnight texts and tells Baker he likes talking to him. He uses the heart-eyes emoji! It all makes Baker uncomfortable and confused. Uncomfortable because he thinks he might be falling for Joe a little bit, at least for his texts. Somedays Baker waits by his phone for a text from Joe, doesn't feel settled until he hears from the guy.

The text in question today is innocent enough at first glance: ((Hope you can show me sometime))

But the whole conversation has been riddled with innuendo and it just feels like this text had a wink at the end of it that Joe didn't send. Baker doesn't know how to respond right now, his feelings too jumbled, so he goes back to looking at how to care for a ferret.

After deciding a ferret isn't for him and making dinner, Baker still can't get Joe out of his head and makes a quick decision. He snatches his phone off the table and does something he hasn't done in the last two months, he calls Joe.

"Baker?" Joe answers with a question.

"Hey Joe, um, how are you?" Baker cringes as he speaks. How are you? That's what he goes with? Smooth, Mayfield, so smooth.

"Oh! I'm good man! I tried to help my mom with dinner and it turns out I'm awful but she said she'll teach me some easy stuff to make when I'm in Cincinnati. How are you doing?"

Just like that, Joe has somehow put Baker at ease and the conversation flows from there.

\--

An hour later and the two are still talking. Baker has moved from his kitchen to his bedroom and he's laying down with his phone on speaker. Joe is rambling a little bit about how packing is going for him. When Joe pauses to dig through a pile of stuff Baker breaks in.

"Do y-do you ever think about..." Baker trails off unable to say what he wants to Joe.

"Think about what Baker?" Joe asks in a soft tone.

It eases Baker a little bit, he knows Joe won't judge what ever he chooses to tell him. Baker makes his second sudden decision of the night.

"Ab-about me," Baker whispers. It's a confession as much as anything and he hopes Joe will understand that.

Judging by the pause that stretches between them, Joe understands and is taking his time to respond.

"Yeah I do, Baker. All the time."

Every time Joe uses his first name Baker's heart jumps. He's gripping his bed sheets so tight he thinks they might tear but he's so nervous he's going to screw this up, his new friendship but also maybe his career if Joe tells anyone about what Baker says next.

"I'm gay," Baker says still using the reverent tone they've both slipped into.

Joe chuckles and Baker's heart drops, thinking he's about to be made fun of.

Instead, Joe says, "I was kind of hoping so."

Baker can hear the smile in his voice.

"Oh.... Good," Baker responds, not knowing what to do with that information.

"I am too, Baker. I've been flirting with you for two months!"

"I thought I was reading into things," Baker confesses.

"I thought I had no chance," Joe counters.

"You do," Baker whispers.

"Is that what you meant when you asked if I think about you?"

"Yes."

Baker doesn't know where this conversation is going, but he thinks it's leading towards good things.

\--

It's been a while since he's felt a connection to someone the way he does to Joe. Their conversations are so easy, there's no pressure to be more witty or to sound smart, he can just be himself and Joe seems to enjoy him. He definitely enjoys talking to Joe.

It's early in their friendship/something more but it means something to Baker, he doesn't open up to people easily and he's shared things with Joe that no one else knows. He's shared about his hopes and dreams both for his life on the field and off it. They've discussed the pressure of being the face of a franchise and what their childhoods where like. In the last two months, Baker has shared more about himself to one person than he ever has before, and he's learned more about one person than he thought possible.

He hangs up with Joe after another hour of talking. Baker feels like he's been splayed open, he's never been so vulnerable with someone but he felt safe with Joe on the other end of the line.

They talked a lot about what deepening their relationship would look like. Baker's never really dated a man in any serious way so he's glad Joe isn't moving to Ohio for another month and they can build this relationship over the phone first.

Joe seems to have a bit more experience than Baker when it comes to dating; telling Baker a pretty amusing story about a college fling. Knowing that this isn't all new for Joe settles Baker a little bit, he hates being in unknown territory but with Joe as a touchstone he thinks it'll be okay. 

They have a 'date' scheduled for the next night, they're going to try FaceTime this time. Baker falls asleep with a smile on his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I've never posted any of my work before but I'm working on some other stuff with this pairing.


End file.
